The Perfect Ubud, Bali Itinerary with a Baby
I am no stranger to Bali. In my 20s, I would visit the land of Gods several times a year, exploring beaches, waterfalls, or simply hanging out with old and new friends in Canggu, Seminyak and the likes.
When planning a trip to Bali with a baby, I wanted to have a peaceful, immersive experience, one that both parents and little one would enjoy. Yes, Bali is indeed overtouristed, but if you know where to look and how to plan, it can be an amazing experience for you and your family. We spent four days in Ubud, and here’s every family-friendly thing we did:
Day 1: Arrive in Bali and Check in at Tanah Gajah
Landing at the ever busy Denpasar International Airport, we were thankful for our driver, who had been anticipating us with a welcome card at the arrival area. We happily passed over our heavy diaper bag, travel stroller and luggage to him, boarded our private transfer (that was organized by our hotel) and made our way to Ubud.
Bali’s traffic is no joke, but the 2.5 hours car ride was made easy with comfortable seats, cooled bottled water and friendly chats with our driver. When the roads started to look less busy, and traffic views turned into paddy fields, we knew we were arriving at our home away from home, Tanah Gajah, a luxury family-friendly resort where we would lay our heads on this leg of the trip.
Upon checking in, we were offered delicious welcome drinks (they even prepared a juice for the little one!), and a golf cart ride by our personal butler to get ourselves oriented with the property. Speaking of the butler, we were added to a Whatsapp group chat prior to our trip, where we could easily reach our butler to organize our meals, make any requests and plan our itinerary of the day, which made this trip that much better.
Our two-bedroom villa was absolutely gorgeous, and the spacious, flat leveled ground was fantastic for my baby to crawl around, especially after being strapped for hours on the flight and car ride! A lovely crib with mosquito net was prepared for my baby, and we relaxed in our private pool, enjoyed the fresh fruit and snacks prepared for us, before getting ready for a family picnic lunch overlooking the paddy fields.
I don’t know about you, but the first day at a travel destination feels the most tiring to me, especially after all that commuting. We reserved a spot for the Kecak dance performance and Balinese Royal Dinner on our first night, both of which are some of the must-dos when in Bali, but here’s the catch: we didn’t have to leave our hotel to watch the performance! At Tanah Gajah, 50-70 professional Kecak dancers are hired twice a week to perform right at the hotel ground, and it was the perfect way to end our first evening in Ubud, Bali.
As travel advisors, we’re able to help you book this hotel for the best rates with extra perks like room upgrades (when available) and more.
Day 2: Floating Breakfast and Explore Ubud
When did floating breakfast become a thing in Bali? The answer didn’t really matter, but the delight on my baby’s face did. We organized for the floating breakfast to be served at the public pool, but you can have it in full privacy, in your own pool at the villa as well. It was my baby’s two favorite things, breakfast food and swimming, happening at once, and I know it must have made her day!
We passed over our laundry (yes, at Tanah Gajah, laundry service is complimentary! Why is this not a standard across all luxury hotels?!) and headed out to explore Ubud. First, we visited the famous Tegallalang Rice Terrace, which was beautiful albeit a little bit busy. If you are visiting with a baby, bring a baby carrier. The place is not stroller-friendly at all.
Lunch was at Livingstone Holyground, which has plenty of outdoor space and an outdoor playground for kids. We did visit Ubud during the rainy season, and happily sought shelter from the rain at Kid Fort that afternoon. Kid Fort is an indoor, immersive playroom perfect for kids of all ages, and we had so much fun there! Thanks to the rain, we had a cooling, relaxing evening walk at Campuhan Ridge Walk, which is so much safer and better for both adults and kids than the Monkey Forest, and it’s free!
Dinner was at Alchemy, a family-friendly vegan restaurant. We retreated to our villa, and took a nice, relaxing swim after our little one went to bed.
Day 3: Hot Air Balloon Ride and Shopping
The day began with a sunrise hot air balloon ride. Tanah Gajah offers Bali’s first and only licensed hot air balloon ride, and it was a fantastic experience! The ride is limited to children aged 3 and above, so my 10-month-old could not join us. But she had a ball of a time (pun unintended!) watching and tracing the hot air balloon from below.
I had never been on a hot air balloon ride before and was looking forward to this unique experience. Seeing the paddy fields, tiny houses and even tinier humans from above is a memory I will hold for a long time. We saw other hotel guests with children taking the ride, and the giggles from the little kids post-ride must have made their day as well.
As for my baby, we totally made it up by feeding the beautiful swans, which she just can’t get enough of.
We headed out to Shamanamama for lunch, a family-friendly restaurant with a nice indoor play area. Then it was shopping time at the Ubud Art Market. A baby carrier is recommended since it’s not stroller friendly. We bought some souvenirs and adorable elephant pants for my baby.
A quick tip when shopping at Ubud Art Market: Ask for the price, and politely walk away. The seller will start offering lower prices and you can turn back around when the price sounds right. I am not great at negotiating so this is the best way to get fair prices!
We had an early dinner at Milk and Madu, another family-friendly restaurant option right by the Ubud Art Market, and spent the evening relaxing at our beautiful resort.
Day 4: Paddy Field Tour and Check Out
On our final morning in Ubud, we did a paddy field walking tour with our hotel guide before packing up to leave for Sanur, our next destination in Bali.
We stopped by the Bali Family Hangout, a little heaven for kids with a big playground, pool and daily activities including face painting, art and craft. The food was pretty good, too! It was the perfect way to end our four lovely days in Ubud, Bali.
Why Ubud is Great for Family
Ubud is just as popular as Kuta, Seminyak and Uluwatu, but I always manage to find serenity in this part of Bali. The family-friendly hotel choices, including Tanah Gajah, are fantastic, food is amazing, with plenty of family-friendly options. The locals adore children, and we always feel at home everywhere we go in Ubud.
If you’re planning a family trip to Bali, I can’t recommend starting in Ubud enough. And if you plan to stay at Tanah Gajah, let us know—I’ll hook you up with the best rates and perks to make your trip as seamless (and magical) as ours was!
